The invention relates generally to operational control. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods that allow the administration of real world buildings from within a virtual world.
Currently, in building control center operations, there is a problem with access to real-time information and coordinated control of building systems. For more than one building and their operating systems, complex screens are difficult to observe and navigate. A worker's attention is hard to maintain, appropriate maintenance and response actions are hard to coordinate and measurements of performance are difficult to assess. With increasing regulations and associated cost, building operators struggle to obtain computer systems and trained personnel that satisfy occupants and financial objectives.
Three-dimensional (3D) modeling has matured beyond hand-drawn and Virtual Reality (VR) systems, and multiple user computer games to enable remote users to select and control an avatar which is a representation or alter ego of the computer user in an immersive virtual scene with the ability to walk through, observe and manipulate objects and communicate with other avatars. Large scale virtual world systems have been used for role playing, socializing, marketing, meetings, data analytics, and limited educational and training sessions. However, operations systems are more critical and relate to economic consequences and safety, so any development, deployment, or sale of virtual world based building operation systems have been difficult.
Simulations for real-time system control that use virtual representations have indicated narrow and disconnected functionalities without commercial adoption for daily command and control. For example, test models have connected physically simple single-user systems such as a thermometer or thermostat with a virtual copy in a rudimentary building by passing a signal between the virtual world and a physically connected external system such as a digital temperature control. For single structures such as a single family home, personal computer based interfaces have been suggested as ways for a homeowner to see and partially manage a few household systems in mixtures of two-dimensional (2D) screens and a partially detailed virtual version of the house.
One example of home use is that of thermostatic temperature control. A traditional windowed virtual building display on a computer is hard to read and only allows single user input. Extending to multiple buildings and users, and different types of equipment, and information interfaces require a new scale of balanced operations with added inputs from a wider set of devices, more controls with channels linked for outbound commands, larger sets of collaborating specialists, more dynamic on-demand needs for management and worker dispatch, and more tracking for reporting on regulatory compliance, safety, cost containment and process improvement.
Among the barriers to practical use of earlier demonstrations are factors such as connectivity, breadth of devices, multi-specialty roles, interface standardisations, worker communications, knowledge presentation, teamwork support, practical avatar collaboration and ergonomics, situational clarity, safety, security, financial decision support, and regulatory compliance.
What is needed is a system and method that allows users to observe and control a plurality of building support systems and functions from a virtual world environment.